Ornamental column structure



Dec. 31, 1963 H. SABEL ETAL ORNAMENTAL COLUMN STRUCTURE Filed May 10, 1961 Herman Sabel Leon W Sabe/ Arno/d .Sabe/ INVENTORS BY w 3% United States Patent 0 3,115,958 QRNAMENTAL CQLUMN STRUCTURE Herman Sahel, Arnold ahel, and Leon W. Sahel, all of Rte. 1, Box 233, Policy Road, Charleston, S.C. Filed May ltl, 196i, Ser. No. 109,2tl1 2 Claims. (Ql. 18939) The present invention generally relates to a structural component employed in conjunction with buildings or the like and more particularly to a column structure of an ornamental nature.

Heretofore, ornamental columns have been provided which are constructed of cast iron or other similar cast metal. Usually, the ornamental pattern which has been cast is welded to side frame rails and are then installed where desired. Such structures have been used for many different uses such as porch railings, stair railings, room dividers, fence elements, gates, mailbox supports and many other orientations Where it is desired to have an ornamental and decorative structural column.

Cast metal colrunns are quite brittle and are subject to considerable breakage and it is quite difficult to replace or repair such a column. Further, cast iron is quite heavy and is difiicult to handle and ship economically. Further, the finish of a cast member is usually rather rough and it is quite time consuming tosmooth the surface thereof and the rough surface is not attractive. Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide an ornamental column structure which is constructed from sheet metal of any gauge including plates which are formed as one integral unit by employing a progressive die assembly. The sheet metal is formed with flanges extending perpendicularly to the side edges of the ornamental pattern which flanges are integral therewith and which serve to stiffen and reinforce the ornamental pattern and which serves to attach the column directly to the side frames by welding, bolting or the like and it is also within the purview of the present invention to form the side frames directly onto the flanges which effectively rigidifies the column structure.

By using sheet metal and progressively forming the sheet metal into a particular pattern by the use of progressive dies, less power is necessary to operate the progressive dies. Also, the construction of the column of sheet metal enables the column to have a smoother eX- terior finish and also reduces the Weight of the column for rendering it easier to handle and easier and less expensive to transport. The sheet metal construction also completely eliminates any finish grinding or smoothing operation and due to the particular construction of the dies and the manner in which it forms the sheet metal, all sharp edges are completely eliminated. Also, the sheet metal may be of any suitable material thus eliminating rust and the sheet metal also enables the column to be formed in any desired length and also enables it to he cut oif at any desired length for enabling easier installation thereof.

When welding a cast iron pattern to a frame, special welding rods are required whereas with the present invention, the flange forms means whereby a multiple of welding points may be provided and any suitable welding rod may be employed and in fact spot welding may also be employed which is highly desirable in that it eliminates rust at the point of Weld and also requires less time for Welding and also provides a higher strength in the weld. The sheet metal construction also reduces the breakage of the ornamental columns which sometimes occur even prior to installation and the flange formed integrally with the pattern rigidifies the entire assembly and the flange may be of any suitable shape including a tubular member or the like. Also, the device may serve effecice tively as a load bearing column such as may be required in various installations.

The pattern may vary with the essential feature being the integral connection of the pattern with the flange and the manner in which the column is formed.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an ornamental column structure which is quite simple, easy'to install, rigid, easy to manufacture using progressive die techniques and otherwise being relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

T-hese together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view illustrating a column constructed in accordance with the present invention with the column being attached to the particular side rails;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a fragment of the ornamental column structure;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the construction of the column and the side frame rails; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view to FIGURE 3 but illustrating a modified form of the invention in which the flanges integral with the pattern are formed as tubular side rails.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral it) generally designates the ornamental "column structure of the present invention which includes a pattern forming panel 12 of any suitable configuration. The pattern panel 12 illustrated includes simulated leaves and grapes or the like all of which are interconnected and which are formed by a progressive die which severs certain areas by pressing them inwardly thus leaving an inturned edge M with the areas of the pattern generally being concavely hollow at at 16 which forms a rigid pattern structure. The side edges of the pattern panel 12 are provided with an integral flange 18 extending perpendicularly thereto and connected to the pattern by a multicplicity of connecting webs 20. The flanges 18 are provided with notches, slots or the like designated by 22 which are provided in order to enable the column to be formed in progressive dies.

The structure in FIGURE 4 is substantially the same except that the flanges 18 are formed as tubular members having an inwardly extending flange designated by numeral 24 and is tubular in construction in that it has four side walls formed by folding the side edge into four perpendicularly arranged flanges.

In the construction of FIGURE 3, the flanges 18 are secured to a tubular side frame rail 26 of any suitable construction by suitable securing means such as a plurality of spot welds, bolts, fasteners or by any suitable means whereby the flanges 13 extend alongside of and are secured in surface-to-surface engagement with one surface of the tubular frame rail 26. Of course, the frame rail 26 may take any suitable configuration and may terminate in any relation to the ornamental panel 12. For example, the ornamental panel 12 may have bottom forming frame members 28 and 3t therebelow which interconnect the frame rails 26 and also a top connecting member 52 which serves to retain the frame members 26 in position and also enable the device to serve as a load bearing column. The particular manner of formation of the pattern panel enables a relatively high degree of rigidity to be obtained from any particular given thickness or gaige of sheet metal or plate. The material from which the panel may be constructed includes various types of sheet material such as sheet metal including aluminum sheets, brass and the like. Also, the panel may be constructed of plastic material especially fiber reinforced plastic.

The pattern is repetitious and while the design may change and the dimensions may change, one embodiment which has been found successful is an arrangement in which the pattern or design repeats itself in six inch increments thus enabling a progressive die of a multiple of six inches to be employed so that various segments of the pattern may be formed during the progressive movement of the sheet metal panel through the progressive dies.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An ornamental building column comprising an elongated pattern panel of sheet material having parallel side edges, flanges extending perpendicularly from one side of the panel at each side edge, said panel including open areas some of which extend to the side and end edges of the panel, the remainder areas of said panel defining an ornamental pattern, the end edges of the ornamental pattern beingjrregular and following the outline of the ornamental pattern formed by the open areas and remainder areas, said ornamental pattern being repetitive throughout the length of the panel, said pattern being connected to the flanges by longitudinally spaced connecting tabs, the peripheral edge of each remainder area being deformed inwardly to form a concave inner surface on the pattern for rigidifying the panel, the outer surface of said pattern being convexly rounded and smooth, side frame members disposed alongside of and rigidly attached to the flange and cross frame members rigidly interconnecting the side frame members at the ends of the pattern panel. I

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said flanges have transverse notches extending thereacross at the tabs defining the ends of each repeated ornamental pattern.

References (lined in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,859 Fox Feb. 24, 1891 1,494,823 Tappen May 20, 1924 1,520,921 Arnt et al. Dec. 30, 1924 1,656,810 Arnstein Jan. 17, 1928 1,799,337 Warhus Apr. 7, 1931 2,837,183 Heiman June 3, 1958 2,889,614 Seely June 9, 1959 

1. AN ORNAMENTAL BUILDING COLUMN COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PATTERN PANEL OF SHEET MATERIAL HAVING PARALLEL SIDE EDGES, FLANGES EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY FROM ONE SIDE OF THE PANEL AT EACH SIDE EDGE, SAID PANEL INCLUDING OPEN AREAS SOME OF WHICH EXTEND TO THE SIDE AND END EDGES OF THE PANEL, THE REMAINDER AREAS OF SAID PANEL DEFINING AN ORNAMENTAL PATTERN, THE END EDGES OF THE ORNAMENTAL PATTERN BEING IRREGULAR AND FOLLOWING THE OUTLINE OF THE ORNAMENTAL PATTERN FORMED BY THE OPEN AREAS AND REMAINDER AREAS, SAID ORNAMENTAL PATTERN BEING REPETITIVE THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF THE PANEL, SAID PATTERN BEING CONNECTED TO THE FLANGES BY LONGITUDINALLY SPACED CONNECTING TABS, THE PERIPHERAL EDGE OF EACH REMAINDER AREA BEING DEFORMED INWARDLY TO FORM A CONCAVE INNER SURFACE ON THE PATTERN FOR RIGIDIFYING THE PANEL, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID PATTERN BEING CONVEXLY ROUNDED AND SMOOTH, SIDE FRAME MEMBERS DISPOSED ALONGSIDE OF AND RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE FLANGES, AND ACROSS FRAME MEMBERS RIGIDLY INTERCONNECTING THE SIDE FRAME MEMBERS AT THE ENDS OF THE PATTERN PANEL. 